Susan and Isaac Wakil’s $1.5 donation will subsidise ticket prices over the next five years.

Prolific arts philanthropists Susan and Isaac Wakil are ardent lovers of opera, and now thanks to a generous donation to Opera Australia they are hoping to share that love with others. A donation of $1.5 million to Opera Australia will subsidise tickets prices for tne next five years. Administered through OA’s access programmes, the new initiative will allow new opera goers and people who are financially disadvantaged to access tickets for as little as $20. Opera Australia also intends to work with its charity partners to raise awareness of this program amongst disadvantaged groups.

The Wakil’s donation will allow newcomers to purchase the best available regular season tickets, typically between $150 to $299 for Stall or Circle Reserves at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne through a ballot system, from August 2015. One of the principal barriers to attracting new audiences to opera is the prohibitive expense of tickets, with seats at the Sydney Opera House and Arts Centre Melbourne are some of the most expensive operatic tickets in Australia. Patrons can access premium tickets at the West Australian Opera, Opera Queensland...